TUMWATER — If there’s a series of plays that sums up the first three weeks of Tumwater’s 2026 season, it was the final three plays of the T-Birds’ first drive against Mount Si on Friday night.
Tyler Briscoe broke free for a long touchdown run, but it was called back due to a holding penalty. Two plays later, Jake Reid found Ethan Bello over the top for a passing touchdown to open the scoring.
“I got in my head a little bit,” Bello, who was called for the penalty, said. “My teammates and coaches were there to pick me up.”
The Thunderbirds continued to struggle with penalties throughout the evening, but that didn’t stop them from running away from Mount Si and picking up a 48-12 victory on the turf at Tumwater District Stadium.
After the touchdown drive to open the game, Gabe Millard got the Thunderbirds the ball right back with an interception, and they repeated the script on their following offensive drive.
The T-Birds (3-0) marched towards the red zone, had a big run called off by a penalty, then proceeded to score anyway when Briscoe scored from 25 yards out.
Another three-and-out led to a clean offensive drive that ended in a touchdown pass from Reid to Millard, and another three-and-out led to a punt return touchdown from Bello.
Before the first quarter was over, Tumwater held a 27-0 lead.
“The kids executed really well early,” Tumwater coach William Garrow said. “We did a great job of doing what the game plan had told us we wanted to do against these guys early in the game … The offensive line was lights out, the defense was great, they really did a nice job early.”
In the second quarter, though, the Thunderbirds were not able to overcome their penalty woes.
After three straight penalties to end the first quarter, the first play Tumwater ran in the second came on a 1st and 35. A 16-yard gain got them to a marginally more attainable 2nd and 19, but a personal foul after the second down play put them back at 3rd and 34. That drive ended in a punt.
On its final drive of the half, the Thunderbirds were stalled by two holding penalties, and they eventually settled for a 32-yard field goal from Grady Wall.
“It was really frustrating for us as coaches to see our ability to execute without the mental mistakes,” Garrow said. “It was really a tale of two quarters for us. We just shot ourselves in the foot and then decided to shoot the other foot.”
The second half was more even, as Mount Si was able to find the end zone twice and move the ball through the air, but Jayden Hinchcliffe scored twice and Nick LaPraim capped the night with a touchdown of his own in the game’s final minutes.
Hinchcliffe finished with a game-high 150 yards and his two touchdowns on 20 carries, while Briscoe ended the night with 120 yards and a touchdown on 17 attempts.
Reid finished 6 for 8 with 77 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Millard finished with two catches and 27 receiving yards as well as his interception, and Bello finished with 42 receiving yards, a receiving touchdown, a punt return touchdown, a fumble recovery, and he blocked two point after attempts.
Hans Bergford also forced a fumble, and Gavin Kaikkonen logged 10 tackles, including a tackle for loss, and he also had an interception of his own.
As a team, the Thunderbirds outgained the Wildcats 464-234.
“We kind of knew what to expect out of those guys who were returners,” Garrow said. “I’m also pleased with the way a lot of those kids who are first-time starters are learning and growing … They’re responding well. That’s been positive for us as a staff, to see them grow.”
As for the stat that continues to hover over Garrow and his staff’s heads? The Thunderbirds finished the night with 16 penalties, costing them well over 100 yards. It’s the third game in a row that they’ve lost over 100 yards in penalties, according to Garrow, and it’s something the team knows can cost them down the line if it’s not fixed sooner than later.
“It’s frustrating for me because I haven’t figured out how to help us stop it,” Garrow said. “Whatever it is I’m doing is not getting through. I’m failing at it, and I need to do better. Because the way that we are playing is not acceptable in those stretches … I have to figure out what to do to help our players understand the way we need to execute in those situations.”
Tumwater’s first chance to improve in those situations will come next Friday, Sept. 25 at Woodland.
